A broken Immigration system is one of the four major blocks to economic justice and a real democracy. Senate rules abuse, voter suppression and unlimited money in politics are the other three.
All four prevent us from forming a majority of 50 million that will allow us to make real change.
In January 2013, CWA joined forces with the Alliance for Citizenship, a national coalition of unions, community, faith-based, immigrant and civil rights groups to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship. Members of the coalition include Campaign for Community Change (CCC), NAACP, AFL-CIO , SEIU, Immigration Equality, National Council of La Raza, National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, Sierra Club and Gamaliel to name a few.
In addition to the coalition, CWA worked closely with CASA de Maryland, a large community-based immigration rights and Latino advocacy organization. CWA provided financial support for rallies and demonstrations, turned out activists to actions and provided office space at CWA Local 2201 in Richmond, Va. CASA provided CWA with experienced immigration staff and strategic political targets and plans.
CWA, along with CASA and the Alliance for Citizenship, worked on the historic April 10th rally that brought out more than 100,000 supporters to the West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. More than 200 CWA activists attended, including CWA Local 2204 members from Lebanon Va., who drove eight hours each way to participate. Echo events were held across the country with CWA engagement particularly strong in Bakersfield, Calif., — Republican Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy’s district — where CWA Local 9416 played a leadership role with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) and Kern Coalition for Citizenship, the major allies for citizenship on the West Coast.
Together CWA, CASA and the Alliance for Citizenship held lobby days, fly-ins and vigils and initiated 60,000 patch-through calls to 29 targeted senators.
On June 27 the Senate passed S.744 by a bipartisan vote of 68- 32.
The fight then moved to the Republican -controlled House where Speaker John Boeher rejected the bill. The House left for its August recess without taking action on immigration reform. As a result of the months of inaction, the coalition prepared for home district mobilizations targeting 41 Republicans during the summer recess. Hundreds of actions including town hall and delegation meetings, rallies and demonstrations were held in their districts. In Washington, D.C., on Aug. 1 the Alliance organized a peaceful civil disobedience action resulting in the arrest of 41 leaders from CWA, CASA, CCC, CHIRLA, AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, SEIU and others.
Over the Labor Day weekend, the labor movement held 170 immigration events. More than 600,000 people – including 18,000 CWA activists — signed petitions demanding that Boehner move to a vote on immigration reform.
As a direct result of the summer actions, House Democrats introduced H.R. 15, a comprehensive immigration bill modeled after S.744.
On Oct. 5, CWA participated in a National Day of Action for Immigrant Dignity and Respect. A total of 183 events were held in 40 States. CWA came out in Freehold, N.J.; Springfield, Ohio; San Antonio; Detroit; Cleveland and other cities. In Bakersfield, CWA hosted a Rock 4 Citizenship concert with hundreds of participants calling on their representatives to act and vote on immigration.
The fight continues for immigration reform legislation with a path to citizenship. This joint work has strengthened the coalition and deepened our commitment for a stronger democracy and rights for all workers.